Mounting for vehicle wheels



p EL, @36 E. c. SPHEGLER m AL MOUNTING FOR VEHICLE WHEELS Filed March 18, 1935 Patented pr.

UNITED STATES 2,038,011 MOUNTING ron VEHICLEWHEELS' Earl Charles Spiegler and Frank J. Kudrna., Jr., Chicagoflll.

Applicatin March 18, 1935, serial Nb. 11,621

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mounting for vehicle wheels, particularly adapted,

though'not necessarily limited in its use, with bicycles, and onelof the objects of the invention is 5' to provide an improved shock absorbing device 15" its use tension rods resiliently connected to the bicycle fork, and it is another object of the invention to provide an improved construction of mounting whereby comparatively light and short- 'er tension rods may be employed than heretofore,

thereby not only reducing to a minimum the 2o"weightof the attachment, but also avoiding the danger of the rods buckling or bowing under compression;

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects 2 as will* appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in* substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, and showing the same applied to one of the forks of a bicycle, a portion of vthewheel also being shown.

Figure 2 is a left hand end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3;-3, Figure 1, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4=-4, Figure l, with parts omitted, and on an enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates the rigid forks of an ordinary bicycle construction and I I designates the hub of a wheel ordinarily journaled at the lower ends of the fork members I0.

Connected to the lower end of each of the fork 50 members is a lever constructed of spaced parallel members I2, and these members are held spaced by means of spacing blocks I3 arranged preferably at the ends of the members.

The lower end of each of the fork members I projects into the space between each pair of members I2 andthe levers thus formed are pivotally connected to the lower end of the respective fork members by means of a fastening bolt I4 passing through the members I2 and also through the end of the fork I0.

The levers are pivotally supported by the lower end of the fork members intermediate their ends and the extremities of the levers project for a substantial distance in front of and to the rear of the respective fork members I0.

The hub I I of the wheel is journaled at the forward end of the levers I2 by means of threaded extensions I5 on the hub passing through the members I2 and also through one of the spacing members I3. A nut or collar I5 is threaded upon the extensions I5 to hold the wheel against displacement with'respect to the levers I2.

The Anumeral I'I designates a bracket which is preferably of an L shaped conguration and is provided with an opening I8 therethrough. One of these brackets is adapted to be adjustably secured to each of the fork members I, and to that end there "is provided a leaf spring or resilient member I9 which contacts with the opposite face of the fork member and is of a length greater than the cross sectional' diameter of the fork member. Screws 20 pass through the member I9 adjacent the edges of the fork member I5, and nuts 2| may be threaded on' the end of the screws 20 for securingthe bracket in position.

If desired an additional fastening element or screw 22 may be provided, which passes through the member I9 and also through the fork member I0, as well as through a portion of the bracket I1, and.l a nut or collar 23 may be threaded on the end of the bolt or fastening member 22.

, With this improved construction it will be manifest that the bracket II may be secured at any point throughout the length of the fork` members I0, as all that will be necessary will be to provide an aperture through the fork member and through which aperture the fastening bolt or rod 22 passes.

The bracket is secured in position to the fork member so that the opening I8 therein will be disposed at a substantial distance in advance of the front edge of the respective fork members, and a tension rod 24 is pivotally connected by one e-nd as at 25 to the other end of the respective levers formed by the members I2. The fastening elements 26 forming the pivots for the respective tension rods 24 pass through the respective pairs of members I2, the spacing member I3 and the tension rod 24, a nut or collar 21 being threaded upon the end of the member or element 26. This nut 21 cooperates with a head 28 on the other end of the member 26 to hold the parts in assembled position.

Each of the tension rods is arranged vertically and passes through the opening I8 in the respective bracket members I 'I tol extend for a substantial distance thereabove, the upper extremity of the tension rod being threaded as at 29 to receive a nut or collar 30.

A resilient element 3|, preferably in the form of a coiled spring, encompasses each of the tension rods 24 above the respective brackets II, one end of the tension member 3| resting against the bracket, while the other end contacts with the adjustable nut 30 on the end of the tension rod 24.

Obviously, by adjusting the nut 30 on the tension rod 24, the stress of the resilient element or spring 3| may be varied.

One of these devices being located on each of the forks of the bicycle, it will be manifest that an eicient cushioning device will be provided, as when the wheel strikes an obstruction the levers at the ends of the forks ID will be moved about their pivots I4 against the stress of the resilient elements or springs 3|, and as soon as the wheel passes the obstruction, the energy stored in the springs or resilient elements 3| will return the wheel to its normal position.

It will also be manifest that by reason of this construction, it is not only possible to provide shorter tension rods 24, thereby obviatng the danger of buckling or bending under strain, but the bracket may be adjusted or secured at any point along the fork I0.

It is also possible with this construction to equip an ordinary bicycle with this invention without the necessity of dismantling any of the parts of the bicycle, except the front wheel.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

l. The combination with a bicycle fork, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the lower end of each fork member, each of said levers comprising spaced parallel members, the lower end of each fork member being positioned between the parallel members of the corresponding lever, said levers projecting a substantial distance in front of and to the rear of the respective members of the fork, a wheel journaled to the forward ends of the levers, a tension rod pivoted at one end between the members of the respective pairs of members, a bracket adjustably secured to each of the forks, said tension rods loosely passing through the respective brackets, a shoulder on each of the tension rods above the brackets, and a spring encompassing each of the tension rods above the brackets and contacting with the respective brackets and shoulders, for yieldingly resisting the movement of the respective levers about their pivots.

2. 'I'he combination with a bicycle fork, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the lower end of each fork member, each of said levers comprising spaced parallel members, the lower end of each fork member being positioned between the parallel members of the corresponding lever, said levers projecting a substantial distance in front of and to the rear of the respective members of the fork, a wheel journaled to the forward ends of the levers, a tension rod pivoted at one end between the members of the respective pairs of members, a bracket for each of the tension rods, means adjustably securing the brackets to the respective fork members, the said means embodying a resilient member contacting the face of the fork opposite to the face adjacent which the bracket is located, screws passing through the said resilient member beyond each edge of the fork members and entering the respective brackets, said tension rods loosely passing through the respective brackets, a shoulder on each of the tension rods above the brackets, and a spring encompassing each of the tension rods above the brackets and contacting with the respective brackets and shoulders, for yieldingly resisting the movement of the respectivelevers about their pivots,

3. The combination with a bicycle fork, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the lower end of each fork member, each of said levers comprising spaced parallel members, the.I

lower end of each fork member being positioned between the parallel members of the corresponding lever, said levers projecting a substantial distance in front of and to the rear of the respective members of the fork, a wheel journaled to the forward ends of the levers, a tension rod pivoted at one end between the members of the respective pairs of members, a bracket for each of the tension rods, means adjustably securing the brackets to the respective fork members, the

said means embodying a resilient member con-` tacting the face of the fork opposite to the face adjacent which the bracket is located, screws passing through the said resilient member beyond each edge of the fork members and entering the respective brackets, an additional fastening device passing through each of the said resilient members and entering the respective fork members, said tension rods loosely passing through the respective brackets, a shoulder on each of the tension members above the brackets,

and a spring encompassing each of the tension rods above the brackets and contacting with the respective brackets and shoulders, for yieldingly resisting the movement of the respective levers about their pivots.

EARL CHARLES SPIEGLER. FRANK J. KUDRNA, JR. 

